asmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff forced out of top job after marathon no-confidence debate
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has been forced out of the state's top job after a majority of MPs supported a no-confidence motion in his leadership.
The motion, moved by Opposition Leader Dean Winter, cited growing state debt, the plan to cut public sector jobs and sell state assets as the reasons for having no confidence in his leadership.
The vote came at 3:42pm after a marathon two-day debate, where all 35 MPs had their say about whether Mr Rockliff should stay on as premier.
The motion 18 votes to 17, with Speaker Michelle O'Byrne using her casting vote to support it.
"I have voted with my party since assuming the chair in 2024," she said.
"I am a member of the Labor Party. When I was elected to this position, it was made clear to this house and the public that despite no longer attending the caucus and strategy meetings of the Labor Party, that I would always vote with them.
"No-one in this chamber could realistically expect me to provide confidence to a Liberal government.
"No-one would expect me to turn my back on the rules of a party that I have believed in my whole life, and been a member of for longer than some members of this chamber have actually been alive."
On Thursday night, Mr Rockliff met the Lieutenant-Governor Christopher Shanahan, saying later that parliament will be recalled on Tuesday to pass a supply bill, ensuring government employees continue to be paid if an election is called.
"It's important that we have those appropriation supply bills so we can fund our essential services, so we can support and pay for their hard work," Mr Rockliff said.
He then will meet with Governor Barbara Baker after those bills pass, to ask for an election to be called.
It's unknown whether the Governor will grant Mr Rockliff's request for an early election. She could also request another Liberal MP to try and form a minority government, or ask Labor to try and form one.
An election 'Tasmanians don't want, cannot afford'
In a defiant statement to reporters on Thursday morning, Mr Rockliff said his advice would be that an election was needed, unless Mr Winter formed a minority government with the Greens.
"This will be an election that Tasmanians don't want, and Tasmania cannot afford," he said.
"Be that on Mr Winter's head. This has been a selfish grab for power of which Tasmanians will look upon very poorly indeed.
"I've got a lot more fight in me. We have built a better Tasmania, we have invested in health, we have invested to keep children safe, we have invested in our schools, in community safety, and we have created an economy that's leading the nation with record low unemployment.
"I cannot let Mr Winter's selfish grab for power destroy what we have built over the past decade."
Early election on premier, Labor says
Mr Winter said if Tasmanians went to an early election, it would be the fault of Mr Rockliff, not Labor.
"This is the decision of Jeremy Rockliff to go to the governor today, it's not my decision," he said.
"It's the premier whose confidence and supply agreements fell apart today. It's not up to me to have supply and confidence agreements for the premier, it's his responsibility."
Mr Winter said he was "not prepared to stand idly by and let Jeremy Rockliff ruin this state".
"We had two choices: sit idly by and let this premier wreck our budget, sell our assets and continue to leave our Spirits [ferries] on the wrong side of the world, or stand up for Tasmanians who deserve better.
"[Tasmanians] deserve a government that's competent, deserve a government that's going to act responsibility, that isn't going to put Tasmania's future on the credit card."
The motion was supported by Labor, the Greens, independents Craig Garland and Kristie Johnston, and Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner.
Labor pressed on future plans
Governor Barbara Baker is overseas, and the Lieutenant-Governor, the Honourable Christopher Shanahan, is currently administering the state.
He has several options he could consider, including allowing Mr Rockliff's request for an election, asking the Liberals to continue to govern under a different leader or asking Labor to attempt to form a government with the support of the crossbench.
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During the debate on Thursday, Greens MP Tabatha Badger put pressure on Mr Winter to consider Labor governing in minority if he's asked to do so by the Lieutenant-Governor.
"Labor need to be up-front with Tasmanians … what are you going to do, are you going to negotiate with the crossbench?" she asked
"Because you can do it now, you don't have to send Tasmanians to a costly election that will probably just yield the same result."
Mr Winter has repeatedly ruled out doing deals or forming government with the Greens.
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